Ohio is taking an inventory of available ventilators in the state as the death toll from the coronavirus rose to 55, officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
The Ohio Department of Health will require companies up and down the supply chain to report the number of ventilators in their possession each week, Gov. Mike DeWine said.
The number of total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 2,199, with 585 people hospitalized, including 198 admitted to intensive care units.
DeWine’s administration is also preventing local water systems from shutting off service for nonpayment during the pandemic. Customers who already have lost service must call to have their water restored, he said.
“This will ensure that as many people as possible have safe water during this state of emergency,” DeWine said.
State job creation entity JobsOhio is making a $2 million low-interest loan to Appalachian Growth Capital, which helps finance small businesses in southeast Ohio, DeWine said.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
